‘I’m Very Upset’: Gavin Newsom Goes Off on Democrats for ‘Bending the Knee to Trump’ — Then Drops Two Brutal Clapbacks That Ignite a Full-On Firestorm
California Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t wait long to make his fury known.
Within hours of the Senate vote that ended the six-week government shutdown, the Democratic governor unleashed two blistering responses that left little doubt where he stood—or how deeply divided his party has become.
The anger rippled fast and wide. What was supposed to be a moment of relief for Democrats turned into an open revolt after eight members of their own caucus joined Republicans to push through a compromise deal that failed to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The legislation funds the government through late January, offering back pay to furloughed workers and reversing Trump-era layoffs.
But in return, Democrats accepted only a vague promise from Republicans to hold a vote next month on extending the ACA tax credits that expire January 1 — a vote requiring 60 senators, making it nearly impossible to pass. That single concession set off a political explosion.
At the center of the fury stood Newsom, who has become a lightining rod for criticism against Trump and his administration. His anger toward his own party was swift and public.
His press officer landed the first punch. “Pathetic. This isn’t a deal. It’s a surrender. Don’t bend the knee!” Hours later, Newsom doubled down with a more succinct knockout, “Pathetic.”
Progressive groups and lawmakers erupted too. “This ‘deal’ is a surrender that all congressional Democrats should reject out of hand,” said Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin. MoveOn accused “too many Democrats in Congress” of ignoring voters and warned the agreement would “screw over millions of working Americans.”
Inside Congress, the rage was even louder. “People are furious,” one House Democrat told Axios. “It’s an awful deal and a total failure to use leverage for anything real.” Vermont Rep. Becca Balint summed up the mood more bluntly, “It’s complete BS — a concept of a possible vote.”
California Rep. Ro Khanna demanded Schumer’s ouster, writing that the Senate minority leader “is no longer effective and should be replaced.” Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts said the vote proved “why we need new leadership,” arguing Schumer had failed to unite Democrats behind the fight to protect health care.
Online, liberal voices piled on. “He organized this, then voted no last second, letting retiring Dems take the heat,” political consultant Adam Cochran posted. “If this goes through, that needs to be the end of Schumer’s leadership.”
MeidasTouch editor Ron Filipkowski dismissed the procedural games outright, “Please don’t think this beltway game of having retiring Dem senators vote yes while everyone else votes no is going to shield leadership. We see what is happening.”
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The anger coursed through every corner of the left. “After everything, Senate Democrats still haven’t figured out that surrendering to Trump Republicans will end badly? Unbelievable,” one commentator wrote on Threads.
Another echoed the disillusionment of many, “I don’t understand why they’re caving… we just won so many races and changed the trajectory. I’m very upset.”
Even among moderates, there was open recognition that the vote marked a turning point. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders called it a “horrific mistake.”
Sen. Chris Murphy said Democrats’ recent electoral wins were a mandate to “hold firm, not yield.” But a bloc of former governors—Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, and Angus King—broke ranks, arguing the shutdown’s toll had grown too severe. Their defection ensured passage of the deal and unleashed what one lawmaker described as “near-universal frustration.”
For weeks, Democrats had vowed not to back down until the ACA credits were secured. They had already voted 14 times to keep the government closed rather than fold. Then, with the economy shaking and public patience thinning, a handful blinked.
By night’s end, the deal that reopened government also reopened every wound the party has tried to paper over since Trump’s rise: the tension between pragmatism and principle, between governing and fighting.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the Senate proposal “a Republican healthcare crisis” and vowed to oppose it if it reached the House. “We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” he said.
The revolt has already triggered talk of primary challenges against the eight Senate Democrats who voted yes which included, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Angus King, Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Jacky Rosen.
There’s no end to the outrage as Newsom continued expressing his fury. “Tonight’s Senate vote on the federal government shutdown should have been a time for strength,” he later said. “Instead we saw capitulation and a betrayal of working Americans.” His words reflected what others across the party were already feeling: fury, disbelief, and exhaustion.
But despite the uproar, the Senate could still pass the deal as early as Monday if both parties agree to expedite the process. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who led the negotiations with moderates, said it “remains to be seen” whether senators will yield back debate time. The package would advance three full-year spending bills covering food aid, veterans programs, and the legislative branch, while extending other government funding into late January.